Beijing

The conference is held in Beijing, the political heart of China. Beijing (北京), literally the 'Northern Capital', is located in the Northeast.

Imperial past
Several imperial dynasties resided in Beijing and left their mark upon the city. The horse-riding Mongols led by the Khan family were the first to establish China's capital in present day Beijing in the late thirteenth century. They constructed the city's characteristic hutongs, or small allays running from the north to the south and from the west to east, dividing the city centre into a grid with small courtyards. After the Mongols, the Ming dynasty was the first to name the city 'Beijing' and built a grand palace, the Forbidden City, in the city's heart. In 1644, the Ming dynasty was superseded by the Qing dynasty that in its turn built the Summer Palace with its gardens. The Qing dynasty fell in 1911 as it failed to modernise China in the face of Western colonialism.

Founding of the People's Republic of China
During the first half of the twentieth century, China suffered under World Wars, civil wars, warlordism and colonialism. In every power struggle, Beijing was considered a prize. The country was reunited only in 1949, when Mao Zedong, standing on the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing's city centre, proclaimed the foundation of the People's Republic of China, with the city as its capital.

Contemporary Beijing
Now, almost half a century later, the Chinese government still resides in Beijing. But Beijing is more than the political centre of China. It is also an important university city housing Tsinghua University, generally acknowledged as the country's leading university. Moreover, Beijing is the home of 15 million Chinese citizens, as well as 4,500 companies in its central business district alone. Business is booming in the era of China's integration into the world economy.

Beijing 2008
In August 2008, Beijing will host the Olympic Games. From an Olympic budget of 30 billion euro, Beijing acquires 12 new state-of-the-art stadiums, a new subway system, new highways, a new airport, and even a new sewage system. Beijing will be more than just the location of a sports event, for Beijing 2008 is meant to demonstrate the re-awakening of a world power.